Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Bible scholar: how do we determine what is literal truth and what is a parable in the bible?
Such a great question! Can I recommend an excellent book on that subject? "Marcus Borg's Bible Overview- Reading the Bible (again) for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously but not Literally"
Borg is a very well-known, well-respected Biblical scholar. His book does a great job explaining exactly what you asked. The answer is that you have to read the Bible with a clear understand of time, history, politics, culture, author, target audience, translation, and so many other factors. It's a fascinating book. Another good one is "Who Wrote the Bible" by Richard Friedman. It's a little more technical and harder to read.